Threat to the Quantock Hills

Somerset Council has advertised its proposal to sell off a major part of the publicly owned, Quantocks AONB!

Huge thanks to theFriends of Quantock& others for bringing this issue into the public domain- our only chance to learn about this questionable sell off of AONB public land in the Quantock Hills. Somerset council have given until the 23rd of December to lodge any objections. Dismissing the concerns of the public, commenting that who owns the land is not important, as access will be assured. Where have we heard that before?

Surely they can’t argue with the fact that; if you own the land, you control the land.

The Quantock Hills were one of the first areas to be designated as an AONB. Originally it had been proposed that they should be included in the Exmoor National Park but at the last minute it was decided that they were too remote from Exmoor and instead they became an AONB.

The combes on the north-east were once almost entirely covered with woodland and there are still over 1,000 hectares of ancient woodland comprising some 11% of the AONB. The sessile oak woodlands are designated as a European Special Area of Conservation as well as being within the SSSI.

In 1927, the Forestry Commission took a lease of what is known as Great Wood, an area of over 600 hectares above Over Stowey from the County Council which had acquired the property some years previously. The Forestry Commission set about replanting much of the area with conifers with a view to increasing timber production and these are still predominant today. Great Wood remains one of the Forestry Commission’s most important forests in the SW.

In 1949 there was a proposal to plant another large area at the northern end of the Quantocks with conifers. This led to a public outcry and the formation of Friends of Quantock, the independent amenity society for the Quantock Hills. The proposal was eventually dropped and much of that area is now designated as an SSSI.

The Quantocks are a mosaic of ownerships, much of it private and some belonging to the National Trust, but the largest landowner is the County Council which owns not only Great Wood but Over Stowey Custom Common, Thorncombe Hill and Cothelstone Hill, a total of over 900 hectares.

The County Council has now advertised its proposal to sell the major part of this, including Great Wood, leased to the Forestry Commission and Custom Common and Thorncombe Hill, both of which are within the SSSI.

Friends of Quantock are extremely concerned at this proposal and have entered a formal objection and in this they are supported by the CPRE and a large number of other organisations and individuals. It is felt that the proposal has serious risks for the AONB, particularly relating to the future management of the Quantock Common SSSI, which is at a critical stage, with a new management agreement that is vital for the future wellbeing of the common, being negotiated between the landowners, commoner and Natural England. Great Wood is well managed by the Forestry Commission but bearing in mind the threat earlier this year of the sell-off of Forestry Commission holdings, which could easily rear its head again, it is felt that it would far better if it remained in the ownership of the County Council. There are other issues too relating to access, erosion and vehicles that give cause for concern, both in Great Wood and on Quantock Common.

It is felt that public ownership that can take proper account of public and community interests is appropriate for this land, whereas private ownership will have a different focus and, despite safeguards that may be built in to the sale, may put the future wellbeing of the AONB at risk.

one objection is enough to stop this aonb sell off,remember the u.s revoltion……….in 1700’s,62 men stopped the king…..of england,these men even said the united states does need to revolt in revoltion,we can do it alone..62 men!they declared there demands as the declartion of indpendence built around the bible as a framework…god has higher dominion than councils..ec government,the congres,ie there parliament had no choice but to vote through there DEMANDS….HA HA…

surely we can do this with the aonb,,it has the same clout…..i read the evil agenda 21 planning book,it say comments cannot be ignored,even one………i believe…..as one comment is classed as a problem,they must find remedy for it…..ie,stop the sell off…..of AONB!

a nrdc report says 84% of nature could be saved if smart growth is channelled to other land areas for homes and jobs…..i don’t trust the nrdc….but good report by kaid………..i think it could be bumped up to 100%…..if needed!it would stop the tory nffp planning laws………

rseason why i don’t rust nrdc is this,julian huxley set up greenpeace,wwf and many more…u.k intellgence cheif,his brother was a nut tto,,like eugenics and communism,,and population control….note at united nations that the brothers set up in meditation room is a serpent….the mark of mr darkness himself……..the elite are pagans…….the triangle of mr darknes is on £20 note too..his tau,also on u.s dollar they worship horus on u.s dollar bill………..the serpent is on libary of congress ceiling says join or die with 13 colonies!why’d they wanna own all enviornment things is beyond me but its proven…..ive heard new world order means own,ie own the earth…/nwo=own…

An exciting initiative born out of the Government's response to the Save Our Forests campaign, bringing together foresters, wood based industries, environmental charities, woodland owners and all those who love our forests to help create a thriving and sustainable WOOD CULTURE in Britain.